Arabella
by SharonH
Summary: Arabella was sent back in time while trying to do her job. What will happen to her now?rating for language, possible sex, and violence.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here's another that came into my mind whileI was napping. I know, I'm pathetic. I know there is going to be romance in this story, however I haven't decided whom Arabella should fall for. I'm torn between Arthur, Lancelot, Gawain, or Galahad. I have plans for both Tristan and Dagonet. (that don't include death!) I'm torn I tell ya! I have new chapters I'm also working on for One Way Ticket, and Dancing in the Dark. **

Bella leaned back against the mildewed stone wall and tried to cry. She was so thirsty and hoped the taste of her salty tears would help. However, the tears would not fall. She looked across and saw the girl staring back at her with empty eyes. Bella had been in the cell for three days now, and didn't know how long she'd survive. The torturer stood between the cell-like alcoves, and she was sure he was going to begin his ministrations once more. Suddenly there were loud voices and more men came down the stairs. Bella tried to shrink further into the corner. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as one of the men ran one of the torturers through with a sword. What kind of Hell had she ended up in? The armored men began looking into all of the cells and she began praying. She didn't know if she was praying they'd over look her, or they'd find and release her.

"Check for survivors." She heard a strong masculine voice speak.

Moments later another man spoke, "By the smell they are all dead."

One man cried out as he found the boy in a small circular stone container, and the first man found the girl who'd been across from her. A dark shadow fell over her prison and she whimpered slightly. Something was struck and she heard the lock snap off and the bars swing down. Arms reached in and pulled her from the cell. Bella shivered and laid quietly in the man's arms as he carried her outside with the others.

"Water!" someone was bellowing.

She closed her eyes to the sudden onslaught of light. When she felt that they were becoming acclimated she opened them slowly. The man carrying her was a dark haired man with a trimmed goatee and dark eyes. "Desidero la mia madre ed il mio padre!" she begged him, not realizing she'd slipped into the language of her youth, Italian.

"I do not understand this language Lady." he murmured staring down at her.

There was an imposing man on horseback with braids covering his eyes. "She's Woad." he said looking at the girl who'd been across from her. Then he looked at her. "I know not what that one is." He perused her thoroughly taking in every item she wore; her sandaled feet, khaki corduroy pants, rust colored camisole, and long brown sashed sweater. Her clothing was torn and filthy at this point, but it was still easy to see it was different from theirs.

"I want my mother. I want my father." she pleaded again with only a touch of accent on her tongue after so many years in America. Her body ached from the touch of the torturer just hours before.

The man who'd carried the other girl out was screaming at a man in robes who was lying on the ground. She hadn't been paying attention so she didn't know how he'd gotten there. The dark knight who'd carried her out moved slightly and she caught a glimpse of something familiar behind him. Fear tightened in her belly, but she moved her head to look in that direction. As soon as her eyes made sense of what she was seeing the screams came.

Arthur had just sheathed his sword when the woman Lancelot had carried out began shrieking. All of his men looked to where she sat staring and Arthur felt bile rise up in his throat. Two people, a red-haired man and a woman with the oddest shade of violet hair, obviously dead, were strung up on wooden posts and disemboweled. They were in a manner of dress almost similar to the woman's and he assumed she must know who they were. "Who were these people?" he hissed to Marius.

"My guards found the three in the forest. Those two tried to flee, the woman was easily captured. We found strange symbols upon those two so they were executed for heresy and witchcraft. The woman was with them. She wears the cross around her neck. It is the only thing that saved her from death." he said dismissively and almost earned another punch from Arthur.

"Che inferno e questo posto? (_what hell is this place?_)" She sobbed. The dark knight used his body to hide the bodies from her, but she knew the vision would be imprinted in her memories forever. Every time she closed her eyes she'd see them. Bella struggled and pulled away from the man. She managed to crawl several feet away and wretched miserably into the dirt. Bella moved into a fetal position and remembered….

_"Hello? This is Arabella De La Rossi, with The New York Monitor. We're looking to do a piece on paganism in the twenty-first century and were hoping you'd agree to do an interview. Would you be interested?…You're having a circle this evening?…I would be honored to join you. Would you mind if I brought a photographer with me?… Excellent, so I'll see you at six at Lawford Park." Bella hung up the phone and chuckled. With this piece she would finally get her by-line that she'd been working so hard for the past two years. Maybe The Monitor wasn't The Times, but it was closer than she'd been before._

_Sighing she looked down at her outfit. Well, it would have to do because it was already four forty five and she didn't have time to run home and change. She belted her brown sweater more tightly around her and went looking for one of the photographers. 'What was one supposed to wear to a pagan circle anyways?' She smirked to herself. She spotted one of the men quickly, "Hey Tommy, you interested in taking some pictures of crazy people in the park today?"_

_The nice looking, lanky, redheaded man smiled at her, "Sure, not doin' anything else. McKensie gave the bank robbery pictures to Mulligan."_

_They walked out side by side. "That sucks." she sympathized. "Brad Maddox got the story."_

_Tommy shook his head. "God damn teacher's pets." The two left chuckling, and headed for Arabella's VW Bug….._

Bella watched from the back of the wagon as they pulled away from the stone building where she'd been kept prisoner. Her eyes strayed to the small specks of red and purple as they drew further away. She hadn't spoken again, and so far no one had questioned her. Bella took in her surroundings slowly. The men wore different variations of armor; their leader was in Roman armor; that much she remembered from her college history courses. Romans, armored men, serfs; it was all surreal. The leader moved into the wagon and was speaking to the man with shaved head who was helping the little boy.

The man introduced himself as Arthur, and Bella tuned out his conversation with the other girl, Guinevere. Her mind was racing. Arthur and Guinevere? What kind of bad dream was this? The man, Arthur now sat looking at her. "How are you?" he asked softly.

Bella thought at first she wouldn't answer. Ignore it long enough and it would all go away right? But her curious mind didn't let her. "I'm Arabella…Bella for short."

"Where are you from Bella?" he asked as he felt her forehead.

She giggled nervously. "Manhattan. I have a brilliant little apartment not far from my parents."

He was frowning. "I have never heard of Man-Hat-an."

Bella choked on her laugh. "That's because it doesn't exist yet." she whispered.

"Her imprisonment and torture has driven her insane." the large man caring for the boy spoke.

"No." she said. "No." this time she spoke stronger. "I'm not crazy. This is all some sort of bad dream, and when I wake up I'll be in bed with my cat Oliver, and my morning coffee will be ready."

"Calm yourself." Arthur soothed. "We will get it all resolved. Soon we will be at The Wall."

Bella looked away from the man, and didn't look back. Soon the shaved head man approached her. "I am Dagonet. Where are you injured lady? It is easy to see that they dislocated the girl's fingers, and broke the boy's arm."

She wasn't stupid, she knew if she didn't tell him, then her wounds would fester and possibly kill her. Especially in this time before antibiotics. And though she was sure she was dreaming, and none of this was real…still, it wouldn't hurt to be safe. Looking the man in the eyes she raised her shirt to show him the horrible bruising where they'd cracked her ribs on either side. At his gasp she continued and turned slowly to show him the round burn marks where they'd shoved burning sticks into her shoulder blades.

"We shall have to wait until we stop for me to care for these wounds." he murmured. She nodded mutely.

"Are you really from the future?" Guinevere asked her.

"Yes." she told the woman, staring her in the eyes.

Guinevere nodded. "I do not think you insane. My father is a powerful man. Perhaps you will meet him. I think he would like to see a traveler from the future." she said dreamily.

"Bully for him." Bella muttered under her breath. It didn't take long for her to fall into a light and fitful sleep….

_"Are you sure this is the right place?" Tommy asked for the third time._

_"The north side of Lawford Park." she told him…for the third time._

_"I guess I just expected more people." he shrugged, and they stepped out of her car._

_"The lady I spoke with, Mistress Celeste, said it was only a circle for special members of the coven." she murmured as a woman with purple hair started towards them. "Great, she's a fucking nut-job."_

_Tommy hid a snort, "Oh yeah, we got a live one."_

_"Greetings Ms. De La Rossi." the woman said and inclined her head to them. "And who is our handsome friend?"_

_Arabella put on her reporter's smile, "This is the photographer I was telling you I'd bring, Tommy Chandler."_

_"Splendid! You can't begin to imagine how pleased we are to have you with us this evening. Hopefully, seeing how we interact you'll be able to show the positive lights to paganism. There are so many who think badly of us."_

_"Well, I'll certainly do my best Mistress Celeste."_

_"Follow me."…._

The wagon jolted to a halt and Bella awoke. Dagonet was leaning over her. "Lady Fulcinia is going to help you bathe. Then we shall tend to your wounds." All she could do was nod.

As painful as it was, the bath was something she'd needed to feel more normal. "You have such lovely hair." The Lady murmured to her and she washed it gently. "I feel so ashamed of what my husband has done."

"I do not blame you."

The bath was over far too quickly for Bella's pleasure. She knew the painful part was coming. Dagonet entered the tent with two other men in tow. "These are the knights Galahad and Gawain. They are going to help me in your aid." he explained to her patiently at her fearful look. "Neither of these men will hurt you, do you understand?"

"I do."

"For the ribs I must have you completely still, and you will not want to stay that way. Galahad, hold her legs tightly. Gawain, hold her shoulders down, again tightly." he instructed.

Bella lay on the ground and trembled. The man, Galahad, took her legs as gently as he could, but she could feel his strength. Gawain held her shoulders down, and Bella chose him to focus on. He looked down at her with apology in his eyes, and she felt the steel in his arms. Bella focused on his blue eyes never looking away. Not once did she scream during the process. Tears streamed down the sides of her face, but she gritted her teeth. Soon he had her ribs bound, and she breathed in relief for the first time in days.

"Now, on to her back." Dagonet sighed.

Gawain looked at Dagonet and saw by the set of his jaw it would be unpleasant. "I will stay and assist if needed." When Dagonet peeled the shift away to reveal the wounds Galahad gasped and turned green. "Galahad, go. I will help Dagonet." Galahad nodded once and left. "Grip my hands Lady; perhaps it will lessen the pain?"

"I don't think anything would lessen this pain except for some morphine or a bottle of vodka." she gasped and Dagonet began cleaning the wounds.

"I do not know what those are." he seemed perplexed.

"Morphine….is a pain reliever..um…a very strong pain reliever, sort of like laudanum. Vodka is a strong alcoholic beverage similar to wine or ale, but has a stronger and faster effect on people."

"Interesting. So a man could get drunk quicker with this vodka?"

"If that's the desired result, then yes." She was panting now the pain was so great.

"And where you're from, is there a husband?"

"No." she laughed. "Never had the time to find one, although there was a boy down the street my parents were overly found of. However, I was not so fond of him, so I had to explain to them it wasn't going to happen. I don't go out a lot. I've been too busy working to spend time with men." Dagonet's treatment was winding down.

"And what type of work do you do?" he asked looking over her shoulder at Dagonet's work.

"I write articles for a newspaper."

"You write?" this seemed to amaze him.

"I'm actually quite good at it." she assured him.

"Normally the only people I've met who know their letters are clergy, or nobles."

"I am done Lady." Dagonet said lowering her shift.

"Please, stop calling me Lady. Call me Bella, or Arabella, but Lady sounds so strange to me."

"Of course Arabella." Dagonet smiled at her slightly. "You should rest now."

"I am very tired." she told him trying to keep her eyes open. Bella laid back and was pleased that there was no sharp sting of pain to greet her. She was asleep within moments. She slept deeply, and dreamlessly.

Bella woke to someone pulling her legs roughly. She slid across the ground as Marius dragged her into a standing position. He clenched her face roughly in one hand. "Demonspawn!" he hissed at her.

She slammed her foot onto his instep, and he howled in pain which woke Dagonet up. Marius backhanded her and she went flying to the ground onto her side. Gasps of pain shook her as her ribs bore the brunt of the fall. Marius had grabbed the boy, Lucan, and now stood with a weapon to his throat. His henchmen held their weapons on Dagonet who stood crouched behind her. She lay sprawled on the ground in between the two.

Bella spit bloody saliva out of her mouth. She heard a noise and looked over in time to see Marius drop to the ground with an arrow sticking out of him. Arthur called out for the henchmen to lower their weapons, and while they did seem to take a moment to consider the request, when the other bald man rode up with a yell they did so quickly. Dagonet held the small boy to him, and the Lady, Marius' widow now, moved to help Arabella.

Bella limped over to the dead man, and laid a kiss on the cross around her neck. "And so you walk to Heaven's Gates, and pray to be allowed entrance to the hallowed halls, but God will not have you there for you are the evil that veils people's eyes from truly seeing his splendor."

They began their journey after that, and it seemed to Bella that they raced with the devil at their feet. Occasionally she would sit on the outboard with Guinevere and watch the snow fall down. It seemed so different from the snow falling in New York. She supposed that was due to the pollution.

"One would think you'd never seen snow before." Galahad told her with a smile as he rode up beside the wagon.

"Not this clean or pure. Where I'm from we've polluted, or dirtied the world. The air is no longer clean, there aren't as many trees or wild animals. All in the name of progress."

"It doesn't sound like a good place to live."

Bella held out her hand and caught a fat snowflake in it. "Did you know that no two snowflakes are exactly the same." she said, and he was held by the wonder in her eyes. "Every one that falls is different from the next."

"Much like people." Lancelot had ridden up on the other side.

"Yes," she smiled at him. "Very much like people. Even identical twins. They're still two people with two different personalities." she started laughing at that, and her laughter held a tinge of hysteria.

"What is so funny Lady Arabella?" Galahad asked.

"Seems to me I should have chosen to do a story on genetics instead of paganism in the twenty first century." They were crossing a large lake of ice, and Bella held her breath with every loud crack she heard.

"Arthur!" The man, Tristan rode by her and the two knights moved away with him.

Within minutes Arthur, his knights, and Guinevere were staying behind, and the caravan was moving on towards the wall. She watched them from the back of the wagon with great fear in her heart. "I will pray for you." she promised and began to do so as soon as they were out of sight.

It seemed they moved on for hours without any sign of Arthur of his knights. Someone ahead called out the sighting of the great Wall, and Bella moved to catch a glimpse. It was awe inspiring to say the least. It seemed to stretch for ever on both sides and the gates groaned loudly as they began to open. From behind them they heard a cry and she turned back to see seven riders making their way towards them at a quick pace. It seemed her heart stopped beating until she saw that all eight had returned with Guinevere riding behind Arthur.

The boy, Lucan, ran to Dagonet as quickly as possible. A bandage was wrapped around his upper left arm, but aside from that they all looked well. There was an officious looking man there and he was smiling widely and calling out to the boy, Alecto. The boy seemed to want no part of the man and stepped closer to his mother. The man turned his beady eyes back to the knights and began handing them pieces of paper. He was speaking so quickly, and Bella didn't understand what letters of safe conduct were. The knights seemed angry, but they took the letters anyway. Dagonet came and motioned for her to follow him. She tried to stay silent and hidden but the man saw her.

"And who is the woman Arthur?" he asked pompously.

"She is a woman we saved along with the serfs. She was injured. My people are seeing to her."

A woman with long reddish brown hair had replaced Dagonet by her side. "Come along love, we'll get you somewhere away from all these prying eyes." they walked quickly and Bella didn't look back. "I'm Vanora, Bors woman."

"I'm Arabella. Please though, call me Bella."

"What a lovely name." Vanora led her to a room which held a bed, small table, and chair. On the table was a pottery candle holder, and several thick white candles. "I'm just going to pop off and get you something to wear. You make yourself comfortable. When you've changed we'll go down to the tavern and get you something to eat."

Bella barely had time to walk around the room before Vanora was back with a dress. It was a deep amber color, and was loose and flowing. It was fitted more through the bust with loose sleeves which fell off her shoulders. With her olive skin tones, deep chocolate brown hair, dark chocolate brown eyes, and classical Italian beauty the dress seemed perfect for her. Vanora provided her with some soft leather boots, and then the two made their way down to the tavern. Vanora chatted the entire time while Bella took everything in.

The knights were celebrating their freedom in the tavern that was mostly outdoors instead of indoors. When Vanora made to leave her Bella clutched her arm. "Might I help you Vanora?" she pleaded.

Vanora looked and saw that the girl was scared. Poor lamb, the kind hearted woman thought, doesn't know a soul. "Of course you can. Though you should be resting with all you've been through."

"Oh, the work will make it so much better. I won't be able to think as much if I'm busy."

Vanora moved quickly and handed several pottery mugs to Bella. "You can get the others after you drop those off."

"How many are there?" she frowned.

"Well, one for each of the men. So seven for this group, and then that table of Roman soldiers gets the other six."

Bella looked around for a few minutes and saw a child's toy shield. Picking it up she found that it was the right size and it was light enough for what she wanted. She loaded up the six mugs on the small shield, using it for a tray, and set off for the Romans. She delivered them efficiently and quickly, and even managed to sidestep a groping hand. When she got back to the bar Vanora was staring at her silently. "My parents own a pub, or a tavern, similar to yours. I work there some weekends, and all through college." She said by way of explanation.

"You're a smart girl lass." Vanora rewarded her with a smile, and Bella blushed.

She moved quickly grabbing the other mugs and delivering them to the men. Most of the men were flirting with women who wandered the area, and Bella was getting the idea that these women were prostitutes, or maybe they just enjoyed sleeping with the men. Looking at the men she could imagine that it would be a pleasurable experience. Well, if she knew how it felt.

As the men grew rowdier, and more drunk, the Romans left the area, and Vanora went to sit with Bors and the others. Bella began washing dishes. "Bella, come have some ale with us." The other woman called out.

When she just smiled at them indulgently, some of the men booed. "Arthur, tell Bella to come drink with us." one of the men demanded.

Arthur, who'd already had several mugs of ale, she should know she'd been the one to deliver them to him, obliged. "Lady Bella. Come sit with us. Tell us of yourself. Bring a mug with you."

Bella made her way over to the group that now sat in a circular pattern. She ended up seated between Gawain and Lancelot, and facing Arthur. "You're all going to think I'm mad, but I'll tell you the truth. I was born in Naples Italy, not very far from Rome actually. I was born in the year nineteen hundred and eighty, which made me twenty six when I disappeared from my world and came to yours." The knights had gone silent, but Bella continued. "Both of my parents are still alive, and I'm an only child. They wanted more but weren't blessed with any. They own a tavern in Greenwich Village, and it's only like five minutes away from me."

"You claim to be from the future. How did you get here?" Lancelot asked taking another drink of his ale.

Bella took a drink and found that the ale was more sweet than the ale she was used to. "Well, really I don't know. I mean, I know what I was doing before, and I know what happened. But time travel isn't supposed to be possible now is it? Even in my time it isn't possible." She took another drink. "I was doing an article for the paper I work for." At their blank looks she sighed. "Where I'm from almost everyone reads and writes. We learn to as children in school. We have these things called newspapers where a bunch of people get together and put words and pictures together to tell everyone what is happening in the world. The world in my time is much larger than it is now." She sighed and finished her drink, then frowned as she looked at the empty mug. Gawain slid another mug in front of her so she smiled a thanks. "I worked for a newspaper. The red-haired man," she choked on the words. "Tommy and I work together, and he was helping me. The woman with purple hair claimed to be a witch…"

"And the Romans allowed her to live?" Bors was amazed.

"Well, see, where I'm from the Romans aren't really there like they are now. Freedom of religion is a fundamental right of all people. Where I'm from you might be looked at oddly for being pagan, but normally you aren't tortured or killed for it."

"This place you speak of sounds like Utopia." Dagonet murmured.

Bella was drinking more of the drink in front of her, and Gawain had pushed some food in front of her. "Oh no, it's certainly far from perfect. There are plenty of people out there that lie, cheat, steal, and hurt others." She chewed a piece of cheese thoughtfully for a moment. "I'm going to wake up soon to find that Mistress Celeste, she of the purple hair, somehow slipped me some LSD. This will all be a bad dream, and I'll wake up."

Arthur had listened to her story in silence. "I'm afraid this is no dream Lady Bella. For some reason I believe your tale, but I'm afraid I have no way to help you get home."

"No, especially not since some jackass gutted the only chance I had!" she fumed. "Did I mention I don't drink a lot." She said fuzzily, blinking at the men. "I think I'm drunk. You people got me drunk. Ya know, there are stories of all of you. I took a class in British Literature." Bella took another drink, and Vanora finally took the mug away.

"Really, and what did they say about us?" Lancelot leaned closer to her.

"That you're a hound who sniffs after anything in skirts." She smiled smugly, and the other men laughed heartily. "That Arthur is a great man who wields Excalibur the great sword. The sword of his father. And that you all sit at a Round Table so as to show that you are equal as men."

"It is good that we will be remembered." Dagonet said softly, finally believing her. For how else could she know of the table, or Arthur's sword? A thought struck, and though he discounted it immediately, he knew others would not. "Bella, you must not share this story with anyone else."

"He's right." Bors spoke harshly. "It matters not what we believe, but what others will. Tellin' ya right now others'll think yer a witch."

"What happens to witches?" she whispered.

None of the men seemed to want to answer her, but finally Arthur did. "It depends on the Church. Some are flogged. Some are hung. And some are burned."


	2. Chapter 2

Bella lay on the bed and stared at the stone ceiling. Her mind was still fuzzy from the drink, but she couldn't sleep. Their warnings raced through her mind and she couldn't argue with anything they said. She'd seen what Marius and his men had done to Mistress Celeste. She shuddered and thanked God that at least she hadn't actually seen it done. Bella's eyes began to close… 

_"Tonight we try to contact Merlin." Mistress Celeste seemed giddy with excitement._

_Tommy rolled his eyes at Bella behind the woman's back, and Bella hid a snicker._

_Wouldn't do to piss off the natives, she thought watching the extremely purple woman walking in front of her. The woman's entire outfit was some type of purple. "Um, do you mean Merlin, as in Merlin and King Arthur?"_

_"Yes." The woman turned to face them and her eyes sparkled. "Exactly." Two men were sitting on a blanket looking partially annoyed. "Recent uncovered historical documents lead us to believe that he was an actual man. We believe that if the man existed then so must some of the myth. There is much we could learn from the great Merlin."_

_"Intriguing." Bella murmured. She'd known that the legendary King Arthur and most of his knights had turned out to be real people, but had written off the rest of the tales as just that…fairytales for children. If there were such people as Lancelot and Guinevere, would they have destroyed a kingdom for sex? Or love? Whichever you believed in. Bella couldn't imagine anything would, or could be that wonderful. Not to betray your best friend or husband. Her parents had been married for thirty years, and happily at that. "So, the ritual you're going to be performing today is trying to call Merlin's spirit?"_

_"No Dear." Celeste said somewhat patronizingly. "We're calling the man, Merlin, to us. We'll bring him here. Into this realm, where he can behold the glory of the future."_

_They both blinked at her. "You're talking time travel?" Bella was sure she hadn't heard the woman right._

_"Precisely." The woman gave Bella a pleased smile, as if she were a dog who'd done a new trick. "You're perfect for this ritual. You can both assist me!"_

_"Um…" Bella tried to think quickly on how to get them out of this one. "Really, it's against my religion."_

_"I insist! It's the only way you'll get a clear picture of who we are, and what our beliefs mean!" The woman spoke in an animated tone; her hands moved quickly and in large motions. "It won't hurt a thing!"_

_Bella sighed and just nodded. What she was willing to do for a story…_

"Not awake yet?" Vanora's chipper voice brought Bella out of her dream instantly.

"Is it late?" she asked the woman as she sat up on the bed. The covers fell to her lap, and her eyes were blurry with sleep.

"Not at all Love." She smiled affectionately at Bella. "I just wanted to make sure you got some breakfast."

Bella gave the woman a warm smile. "That's very kind of you, thank you."

"Well, when you're done with breakfast we'll go and get some cloth from market, and go about getting you some dresses made. A girl can't just have one dress now can she?"

"Oh, no, it isn't a problem. I'm fine with this one." She protested. Vanora just grunted at her and threw her a look. Bella got up and changed into the amber colored dress and quickly followed the other woman down the stairs.

Either the knights had already come and gone, or they were still slumbering away the effects of too much alcohol. After she ate her breakfast which consisted of some type of warm cereal and warm buttered bread, she and Vanora headed out. Bella patted her flat belly and grinned at Vanora. "If I eat like that all the time you won't be able to fit me through the door."

"What did ya eat where yer from?" the older woman asked curiously.

"A cup of coffee and granola bar. When I ate breakfast." Bella laughed. The sun was shining and when they came in sight of the market she almost stopped. It was amazing! It reminded her of a large bazaar, or the Renaissance Festival she'd been to a couple of times with her girlfriends in college. "Look at it?" She looked over and caught Vanora smiling at her. To Vanora, Bella looked like a little girl given a special present. "Look at everything!"

Her mind whirling she wanted to see everything. Vanora took her around to the different vendors who were pleased when she oohed and aahed over their wares. Several of the men gave her cloth, and goods, just because it made her so happy. When they came to a man with puppies she got down on her knees to cuddle and caress them. Vanora was off speaking with someone else. "Look at you." She whispered to the small brown and white dog. He was some type of Shepard, and was beautiful. He kept licking her nose, and causing her to giggle.

"Does the Lady wish to have the dog?" the breeder smiled looking down at the beautiful woman. The other puppies were spoken for, and he was the last of the litter. The man had heard all of the rumors of the woman, and had seen her in the tavern serving the night before. He knew she'd been abused at the hands of the Roman noble, that she'd come into the Keep with Arthur and his knights, and she was well favored by them.

"Oh no, I couldn't." she said standing up.

"Of course you can." Lancelot spoke from behind her. She looked up to catch him gazing down at her from next to the merchant.

"No really…" she knew he wasn't paying attention. He was already handing the other man money. The other man was handing it right back.

"No, no, you keep your coin. Just seeing the pretty lady smile is payment enough for me."

She watched stunned as the man began packing away his crates. Lancelot grinned. "It seems you've made many conquests today."

"People just keep giving me things." She said with a slight frown.

He leaned closer to her. "It's because they charge the Romans more."

"What have we here?" Vanora joined them and was staring at the pup in Bella's arms.

"He's just a little guy." Bella murmured burying her face in the scruff of the puppy's neck. "Is it okay if I have him?"

Vanora looked startled. "Well of course it is! Why wouldn't it be?"

Lancelot was laughing. "That pup will not stay little for long. Look at the size of his feet."

He did have rather big feet, Bella mused studying her new puppy. Lancelot had taken possession of the belongings she had been carrying, and Vanora's arms were full as well. She'd not only been given fabrics and items to make outfits, but also bath oils, soaps, and glossy apples, among other fruits and vegetables. One merchant had raved at her beauty and kindness and had given her salt. From the look on Vanora's face Bella guessed that salt was quite a precious thing. For the first time since she'd arrived in their time Arabella was truly smiling.

"Ah, it is the lovely young woman saved by Artorius." The voice behind her caused a shudder, but she turned to face it. The puppy began to growl low in its throat.

Bella found the Bishop staring at her with undisguised interest. "Sir."

"I have been informed that Marius had punished you?"

"Yes sir."

"But you are a follower of the Church?"

"All my life sir. Me entire family are highly involved in the Church."

"Excellent. Well, I must apologize for his error in judgment. Tell me though, why did he find you in the forest with those who would defy God?" There was something in the man's eyes that caused fear to build.

"I was running from them." she lied. "They were chasing me." She hated having to lie about Tommy, but this man was not as pious as he pretended to be.

"Yet, Marius's men say you screamed when you saw they'd been killed?"

"Of course she would Bishop Germanius." Arthur spoke as he joined the group. "Lady Arabella had never seen bodies treated in such a way. She is indeed a gentle woman." he spoke harshly. "Her treatment at Marius's hands was unjust and an attack against God himself."

The Bishop seemed to back down some now that Arthur was there. He nodded once and left, his robes sweeping behind him. Bella stared after the man. "He doesn't believe anything we've told him." she directed to Arthur.

"Stay away from Germanius Arabella." Arthur spoke softly. "He is not as good a man as he likes people to believe."

"Very few are Arthur. Very few are." Bella held her puppy close and walked back to her chambers more subdued.

Dinner was a large affair. A final feast since the knights would be leaving in two days time to return to their homelands. Vanora had made her dress in a deep red dress. It reminded her of a dress that a greek goddess would wear in pictures she'd seen in books. The silver cord crossed over her chest and wrapped around her waist several times. The sleeves wereslit at the topto fall off of her arms. Pooh Bear, her puppy, was a favorite with Bors and Vanora's children, and they wore the pup out with their antics. She sat at the supper table and watched with a smile on her face. She didn't know what she'd do when they left. Somehow she had to find a way home, but didn't know if that was possible. Bella laughed at herself, darn it she should have watched all of those King Arthur movies!

Vanora had stood and sung a song about going home. It was beautiful. Bella didn't think they'd appreciate much of the music she enjoyed listening to. Some of the people were up and playing instruments. Vanora had pulled Bors out to dance leaving their baby with Guinevere. Bella almost laughed at the look on the tough man's face. He was trying to hard.

"Would you care to dance Bella?" Gawain asked her. She nodded and stood up. It wasn't difficult to pick up the steps and she laughed as he twirled her on the floor. Within moments Galahad had cut in and he was spinning her. Lancelot took a turn as well.

She'd been dancing for what seemed like hours when she took a break to get a drink. Bella looked back to find Gawain with a wench on his lap, and Lancelot whispering in another girl's ear. Galahad was frowning into his mug. Such a handsome man to be so unhappy. She approached him with a smile. "Dance with me Galahad?" she asked.

He stood and joined her on the make shift dance floor. It was a slower song, and she'd been watching the past few nights. He obviously knew the dance, and he was smiling down at her by the end of it. "Might I show you something Bella?" he asked. She nodded still smiling from the happy night.

Taking her hand, he led her from the tavern and up onto the top of the battlements. Bella looked at the night sky filled with stars. "Oh my gosh." she breathed out. "It's beautiful." The stars seemed so close that she felt as if she could reach up and take one from the sky above. "If I truly lived here I would spend every evening up here looking at that sky." she whispered. She looked over to see a slight frown marring his face again. "What's wrong Galahad? Why aren't you happy like the others?"

"It was only days ago that I wanted only to go home. I was so angry that we had to do one final mission for Rome to get our freedom."

"It was wrong of them. They should have kept their promise to you all." She laid her hand on his whiskered cheek her dark eyes full of understanding.

Galahad lifted his callused hand and brushed her smooth, soft cheek with the back of his knuckles. She found herself becoming lost in his blue eyes. Galahad inched closer so very slowly, and Arabella felt herself being drawn into him. When his lips brushed across hers a tingling sensation flooded her body, and her eyes shut of their own accord. She leaned into the kiss; her hand moving from his cheek to linger in his dark curls. He kept the one hand at her cheek, and the other nestled in her hair. Her mouth opened under his, and she reached her tongue out tentatively to meet his. When he finally pulled away his eyes were dark and unreadable, and she found that she felt weak in her knees. Never before had a kiss affected her so much.

Galahad stepped back and looked at the woman in front of him. "Forgive me Bella. I should not have done that." He turned and strode away from her and descended the steps leaving her very confused.

Bella didn't understand. What had she done wrong? Should she not have kissed him back? Then she realized he must have feelings for someone else, and now felt that he'd betrayed his love by kissing her. The kiss had been spectacular, there was no doubt about it, but that didn't mean anything, did it? Hadn't her mother told her that sometimes people were attracted to each other without the benefit of love. Bella sighed. This was why she'd focused on her career instead of on her love life. Men were too confusing.

Bella woke the next morning and decided to go for a walk along the woods. She knew that on this side of the gate the edges of the wood should be safe. She took Pooh Bear and let him run and frolic. Already he followed her and was trying to listen. She was sure he was trying. The knights would be leaving the next morning. Arthur had offered to let her come with him to Rome. She was pretty sure that's where she was going. His knights were going home, which if she remembered correctly was somewhere near where Russia was now…or in the future….whatever. No, Rome was as close to home as she was going to get. She frowned sitting down on the soft grassy ground.

Pooh began to yap happily and she looked to see who was joining her. A strange bedraggled man had stepped out of the trees. He was painted in blue, held a big wooden stick, and looked dirty. Bella stood quickly and backed up, but Pooh didn't seem frightened by the man at all.

"I mean you no harm." the man said in accented English. "You are the strange traveler from the future my daughter has told me of?"

So, this was Merlin. Guinevere's father. She nodded once and continued to stand very still.

"You have changed many things by coming here." he told her with what appeared to be a gentle smile.

"How?" she finally asked.

"The man, Dagonet was meant to die. He did not. Lancelot and Tristan were meant to die tomorrow, and now I do not believe they will." The man crouched down and rubbed Pooh's belly. "You're coming here has saved these men."

"Good. That's good. They're good men."

"Agreed." he stood and put his hands on his staff. "Beware the man of God child, he means you ill."

"Figured that one out."

"Yes, you are a smart girl. Brave too."

"You seem to know a lot. Can you tell me how to get home?" she asked.

"Alas, I cannot. I do not have the power to return you to the place you were before. The stars have shown me this is where you belong now. Your coming here has changed the events of the future. It is no longer the future you left."

"So, my parents are okay?" her lips trembled holding back tears.

"Yes child, they are. You are a new Arabella now. Their new Arabella. The Arabella that came here was never lost to them."

Bella thought she understood.

"You must go back to the Keep now." he told her. "Go quickly!"

Bella took off running with Pooh close behind her. The knights were on the battlements looking down at the army of Saxons. Good God! How could she have forgotten the Saxons! Arthur and Lancelot were arguing as Bella ran to the top of the battlements where just the night before she'd been kissed by Galahad. "Oh God in Heaven." Bella made the sign of the cross as she'd been doing since she could walk and went to church. She looked over and found Germanius staring at her with narrowed eyes.

Arthur looked to her as she came down the stairs. "Bella you will leave with the group tomorrow. You will head to Rome and I will meet you there if I live."

"You send her to Rome with Germanius?" Lancelot said angrily.

"I will make sure she is watched over. I send Ganis and Jols to care for her." Arthur roared. "And until your paths split I know she is safe with you and our brothers."

Lancelot and Gawain both looked to argue. "I will do as you ask Arthur. I will leave. I trust your men." Bella turned and went to her chambers to pack her belongings. Arthur had become King of Britain. She knew he would not let her down. If he did not return to Rome, he would bring her back here.

The next morning they left and she watched Arthur alone on the hilltop. He looked so valiant. If ever she could have had a brother, or hero, this man would be him. They weren't far down the road when the knights horses began to fidget and they looked at each other. She knew in that moment they would not leave their friend. She watched them suit up, and watched them ride back. Before riding off Galahad turned and their eyes met. He nodded once and was gone.

Bella rode with Vanora and the children. Jols and Ganis rode along side them. They'd been traveling for maybe an hour, or two when the caravan came to a halt. Germanius and his men rode back to the wagon where Bella sat.

"Lady Arabella, if that be your name, you have been found guilty of witchcraft, and of heresy against God!" he barked out. Vanora started shouting, and Jols and Ganis made to move, but were stopped by five Roman soldiers. "Your punishment for these crimes will be death. You will be burned at the stake." A gleam entered his eyes. "Take her."

Vanora made to move in front of her and Bella stopped her. "No, Vanora, I will not let you be hurt because of me. There's already been too many deaths because of me." Her mind strayed to Tommy, and even Mistress Celeste. Bella stood, every inch the lady she was and stepped off of the wagon. She leaned in so only Germanius could hear her. "God will welcome me into his arms Bishop. I have been a good Catholic all of my life. Can you say the same?"

The Bishop backhanded her and she dropped to the ground from the force. "Don't try your evil hexes on me woman. I am protected by God!"

As he screamed Vanora turned to Gilly. "Gilly my child. You must run back to your father. You must be fast and you must be brave." The boy looked at his mother and nodded. Without another word he was gone and into the hedges. The boy was stealthy and quick, and no one noticed his departure.

The battle was over, and they were victorious. None of his brothers had died, and Arthur felt relief invade his soul. He knew now that he needed to call back his people. The Romans would leave and a new era would begin.

The knights were laughing when Merlin approached. "Now is not the time for celebration Arthur. You must go quickly or the girl you swore to protect dies!"

"Bella!" Galahad bellowed. The men ran for their steeds and were riding quickly. Within minutes they'd come across Gilly, exhausted but following his mother's important orders.

"Father!" the boy cried as Bors swung him into his saddle. "The Bishop is going to burn Lady Bella!"

With grim looks on their faces they rode hard, and could only pray they reached them in time.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry in advance in for the short chapters. Work, and home, have been crazy busy.**

Bella stared at the growing pile of kindling. Romans could work fast when they set their mind to it. At least it seemed that way. Vanora was crying silently where she cared for her children and Pooh Bear. Pooh kept barking, growling, and whining. Bella was tied to one of the caravans, her hands bound behind her. She knew there would be no escape for her. She wasn't a warrior; didn't have any tricks up her sleeves. Instead she stood proudly and waited for them to tie her to the large wooden post in the middle of the kindling.

Germanius seemed pleased with himself. He stood near her and smirked. "You realize you won't live once you've completed this act?" she said conversationally.

"I see one of two things happening. Either Arthur will get himself killed fighting the demon Saxons, or he will arrive, and perhaps be angry, but he will have to accept my decision as the will of the Church."

Bella grinned sardonically. "You truly believe it's going to work that way, don't you? You are a fool."

"I'm not the one about to be burned at the stake now, am I?" he said viciously.

She didn't speak again. There was no point. Bella prayed that she would pass out quickly. Jols and Ganis were tied currently, and looked towards her with shame and helplessness. She gave them a small smile as if to say that she didn't blame them for what was happening.

One of the Roman soldiers approached Germanius and whispered in his ear. "Excellent. Well, it appears the time is at hand for all to see what happens to those who shun the one true God." He said turning to face her. Two soldiers had approached and detached her from the wagon she'd been tied to. She didn't fight them, and they practically carried her to the post where she'd spend her last few minutes alive. They tied her again with her arms above her head. As soon as the soldiers with torches began to move towards her Bella began reciting The Lord's Prayer.

"Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name…."

"Light it!" the Bishop commanded. Hesitantly the soldiers moved closer. A snap of thunder sounded and rain started to fall.

"Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven." Bella turned her face up into the rain, and the drops mingled with her tears. "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…"

"Burn her! Burn her!" Germanius was furious now, and moved forward grabbing the torch out of one of the stunned soldiers' hands. Within moments he'd dropped the torch into the kindling and the wood began to burn.

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever….

_Mistress Celeste stood in the middle of a white circle. Bella didn't know what the woman had used, looked like salt maybe? Tommy stood to her right, and Bella stood to her left. She began chanting strange words, and occasionally Bella heard the word Merlin, or Arthur. Bella happened to look at one of the annoyed men and was startled to see his mouth drop open in utter shock. He was starting to look fuzzy._

_Then the strangest thing happened. His face elongated, and she heard Tommy shout. There was a large noise, and they were flung backwards onto their asses on the grass. Tommy had rushed to her quickly. "What the hell was that?" Bella groaned as she rubbed her backside._

_"What happened to the fucking park?" Tommy said staring around._

_"Something went wrong." Mistress Celeste giggled nervously. "I think maybe, um, I think we went to Merlin's time instead of him coming to ours."_

_"That's preposterous!" Tommy snapped. "You're freaking Bella out, so why don't you shut the fuck up!"_

_"Halt!" Several men in armor had come running towards them. Bella stayed where she was, but both Tommy and Celeste had run. One of the men had approached her and the next thing she knew she'd been in the torture chamber…_

"Amen." she finished. The rain was almost a torrential downpour now, but the kindling was still catching. All it meant was that it would take longer for her to burn. It didn't look like Germanius had a problem waiting either. Most of the soldiers had backed up. The rain had most of them considering that what they were doing might be wrong. At least that's what Bella thought. She stared down at the kindling and knew the flames would reach her feet soon.

Galahad cleared the top of the hill and saw the stopped caravan at the bottom. The Romans had constructed a post for burning and he could see Arabella tied to it. The wood was burning, although not as much as they would have been if the rain hadn't begun. It was the first time he could remember ever being glad for the rain. His brothers in arms were only feet from him, but the way the flames were starting to lick higher, he wasn't tempting fate. Bella did not deserve this death.

With a loud war cry, and a kick to his horses flanks he rushed towards the post. The arrow flew past him as he approached and he realized Tristan was cutting her bindings. The second arrow snapped the rope and her arms swung down.

Germanius was screaming for his soldiers to shoot the woman, and the soldiers were preparing to do just that. Galahad heard the thunder of hooves behind him. It appeared as if Bella was going to walk through the fire to get out, and indeed her feet were touching burning wood. Galahad jumped the extinguishing pile reaching out and grabbing a hold of the woman. He pulled her in front of him and held her there as Arthur reached the Romans. All of the knights had their weapons drawn and stood between Galahad and Germanius and his men. Bella sat in his arms safe, but trembling with fear and shock.

"Galahad?" Arthur bellowed.

"She is essentially unharmed." he spit out.

"You've made a grave error in decision making Germanius." Arthur's voice was hoarse with his anger.

"You would defy the Church? The girl is a witch! She has bewitched you!"

Arthur backhanded the Bishop and he landed on his ass. "She follows the same God as we do! A good woman; a woman I swore to defend…" Arthur had pulled his sword.

"You would dare strike down a man of God?" Germanius spit out.

Arthur's eyes were frozen. "I see no man of God." He swung once, and the man dropped dead at his feet.

Vanora had moved forward, as well as Dagonet. "Arthur, we must get her back. Look at her pallor. She is going into shock."

"I will help you!" Lady Fulcinia, the widow of the Roman Marius spoke. Now that Germanius was dead she was free.

Not everyone could move to the Keep as quickly, but once assured they were on their way back, they rode quickly. Dagonet had tried to take her from Galahad and had practically received a snarl from said man for his efforts. Galahad carried her into the chambers she'd used previously and sat her down gently. Then he stood and went to the chair in the corner of the room. Dagonet looked Bella over very carefully. The girl was coughing occasionally. Some of her flesh was reddened, and her hair singed. The only part of her that had received burns, besides the reddened areas, was her feet. She would need salve for them, and would have to keep off of them for several days.

She was coughing and he rubbed her back. Bella looked at Dagonet with huge brown eyes. "It's from the smoke. The cough I mean. I breathed in the smoke and that makes people sick."

"You are a very brave woman Arabella." Dagonet spoke softly, and with such pride in his eyes Bella felt her eyes tearing up.

"I have failed you." Arthur spoke from the doorway. "I swore to protect you."

The tears began falling in earnest then. "No, you saved me. Galahad saved me, and you avenged me, and Dagonet took care of me. Vanora sent for help."

Dagonet stood. "I am going to find you something to eat." Arthur stared at her for one more long moment and then he too left.

Galahad moved to her swiftly and sat on the edge of the bed. "I feared for you." he whispered fiercely. He studied her face looking for every injury she'd sustained. "It seems that since you've come to my time all that has happened has been injury to you." He wouldn't meet her eyes.

"That's not true." she told him drawing her knees up to her chest. "I met all of you. A father in Dagonet, Brothers in Arthur and Bors, friends in Gawain and Lancelot, I've never felt more secure than knowing Tristan is there with his bow and hawk like eyesight." she smiled slightly. "And you. The first kiss I've ever had that moved me. None of those things are anything to sneer at."

"I felt it too." he told her, then he stood quickly and started speaking. Pacing and speaking, and not looking at her. "You are a good woman Bella. Too good for a man such as myself. No matter how the kiss felt, it cannot happen again. You are not a tavern wench to touch and move on."

"Oh Galahad, you give yourself so little credit." she sighed sadly. His eyes darted to meet hers for an instant, and again he looked away. Bella decided now was not the time to discuss this. Emotions were running high, she was tired and sore, and he'd fought a war that very day. "I hope you'll still be my friend Galahad. I'm very tired. I think perhaps I should go to sleep."

"Yes, of course." he spoke abruptly and headed for the door. "Sleep well Bella."

Only days had passed and now they stood to see Arthur and Guinevere wed. Bella stood with Vanora, Bors, and their children. She wore a deep blue dress, and cradled their youngest child in her arms. She had recovered from her close call with burning at the stake, and today was the first day she was on her feet again. All of the knights, Vanora, Guinevere, and the children had spent time with her while she recuperated. Even Galahad, although he'd only come when Gawain did, which seemed to amuse Gawain. Pooh Bear wouldn't leave her side, and before they'd finally left anytime a Roman had passed beneath the window to her room he'd growl. Now however the Romans were gone, and a new world was beginning. Bella would be part of that world.

The wedding feast was in full swing. Bella had never danced so much in her life and now she just needed quiet. She stood staring at the sky wondering if anyone from her previous life was staring just as she was.

"What are you doing up here alone Bella?" Lancelot asked as he joined her.

"Just looking at the stars." she told him with a smile. "What are you doing?"

"Escaping the clutches of a wench who thinks we're soul mates." he sighed.

Bella laughed. "Well, if you didn't make them fall in love with you, then you wouldn't have this problem."

"Alas, it's true. Women can't seem to resist my charms." he smiled back at her.

Bella smacked his arm lightly. "You're a naughty man Lancelot."

They stood in companionable silence for several moments. "Why is it I never made a pass at you Bella? You're a beautiful woman." he seemed stunned by the fact.

"Because you're like an older brother to me. You don't put the moves on family."

"Ahhhh, yes I suppose I do seem to feel brotherly towards you." he agreed and seemed pleased by the answer. "And why is it that you aren't dancing with young Galahad? He can't seem to keep his eyes off of you."

It was Bella's turn to sigh. "Galahad has explained to me that we can't be together. Not that I was even sure I'd want to be with him. But he killed it before anything ever begun."

"Intriguing." He said with a quirked eyebrow. "Such a moody boy. Gawain told him he should bed a wench and he threw his mug at Gawain."

Bella frowned. "Maybe Gawain shouldn't be giving out advice."

Lancelot laughed. "Do not worry yourself Bella. Galahad has never been as much a man for the ladies as myself. I promise you I will keep them all occupied so he can't accept any offers."

She laughed at his sly grin. "Naughty." Then she sobered. "No, Galahad has made it perfectly clear he will not pursue me." A stubborn set came to her jaw.

"And what do you propose to do?"

"Well, maybe he just needs his eyes opened up a bit." she grinned as plans began whirling in her head.

The knights were sitting in the tavern drinking yet again when Bella swept into the room with Pooh Bear at her heels. "Good evening everyone!" She smiled brightly.

"And what has brought such a pretty smile to your face Bella?" Lancelot asked.

"Well, the sun was shining today, Pooh Bear learned to sit," as soon as she said the word his bottom hit the stone and she threw him a treat with a laugh, "And someone left me a daisy."

"Who left you a daisy?" Galahad was frowning.

"I don't know." Her smile brightened. "But it was so sweet." She sighed.

"What was sweet?" Vanora asked coming out from behind the bar.

"Bella has a secret admirer." Lancelot explained.

Vanora grinned. "Well, that's hardly shocking seeing as what a lovely girl you are. The men are bound to start nipping at your heels now."

Galahad's frown grew and Lancelot took a large swig of his ale so as not to laugh. "You know Bella, I didn't even consider that. Perhaps Arthur should make a match for you. Pick you a husband."

"No thanks. I'll pick my own husband." She said with a wrinkled nose. Lancelot was playing his part perfectly. Her partner in crime.

Gawain must have sensed something going on because he was grinning. "Are you going to be looking for a mate then Bella? That shouldn't take long at all."

"I don't know it seems to be the thing here. Get married, have babies, that sort of thing. I'll just have to give the whole game of romance a shot." Bella walked back behind the bar and began helping Vanora serve.

Gawain looked at a scowling Galahad and winked at Lancelot. "Do you think I might have a shot with the lovely Bella?" he said to no one in particular. "She has quite a nice shape to her, and those lips are probably enough to drive a man to distraction."

"She'd only look at you if she was interested in talking to a Jackass!" Galahad snapped. He stood and strode from the room quickly.

"Well, if I didn't know better I'd say something was bugging that boy." Gawain said lightly. The table was silent for a moment before the other men burst into laughter.


	4. Chapter 4

A small part of Bella felt guilty seeing the constant frown on Galahad's face; she got over that quickly though. After all, he was the one being difficult. Two weeks of rubbing a secret admirer in his face and nothing. It wasn't as if she thought they should get married or anything, but what was the harm in getting to know each other. Perhaps the feelings were only physical and they'd find that they didn't have true feelings for each other, but that obstinate man didn't even want to see. The whole 'you're too good for me' garbage was enough to make her want to slap him.

Galahad finished washing his face as Annie cleaned his rooms. Annie was a cheerful girl who was quite smitten with Lancelot. "Do you think I should shave Annie?"

The blonde girl looked over at him. "I think yer quite handsome as ya are Sir Galahad." She said honestly. "Are ye tryin to catch someone's eyes maybe?" Annie grinned. Everyone knew he was taken with Bella, and she like everyone else didn't understand why he hadn't made a move on the newcomer. It was obvious she was just as taken with him.

Galahad stared at himself in the looking glass. "No. No one in particular." He sighed. He knew he'd ruined any chance he might've had with Arabella.

"Oh, I was thinking you might be trying to catch the attention of Helga the laundress." She teased.

This caused Galahad to start laughing and the two left his chambers; he in search of breakfast and she on to the next room.

Bella was on her way down to the kitchens when she happened to see Galahad and one of the serving wenches exiting his rooms. Galahad was grinning and he smacked the other girl on the bottom. Fury raged through Arabella and for a moment she considered going back into her chambers. In order to get to the kitchens she'd have to walk right past them. Instead of hiding as her first instincts told her to Bella squared her shoulders and walked past them with her chin in the air. The nerve of the man! Telling her he wasn't good enough! Oh, but he could happily rut around with whores like a…like a….like a pig! That's exactly what he was, a pig!

"Good morning Bella." He told her with a smile.

"I'm sure it was for some of us!" She snapped and strode past him.

Galahad frowned. What was that about? "Are you well?" he asked following after her.

"Am I well?" she muttered. "Am I well?" Bella narrowed her eyes at him and then kept moving. "_Chiede se sono bene? Non sono ovviamente donna abbastanza per lui! Preferisce ovviamente i wenches biondi! Indennità buona! È giusto un figlio di un maiale fangoso!" (He asks if I'm well? Obviously I am not woman enough for him! Obviously he prefers blonde wenches! Well fine! He's just a son of a muddy pig!)_

Galahad winced as her voice rose as she spewed the foreign words angrily. He didn't know what she was saying, but whatever it was there was nothing pleasant about it. The woman was mad and he had no idea why. It was also obvious that her ire was directed towards him. He reached out and captured her arm, effectively stopping her from moving. "Why do I get the feeling you're directing that at me and it isn't particularly flattering?"

Her eyes were glittering with her anger and her cheeks were flushed. "You are a swine! Spouting off nonsense to me, and it is all lies! You are worse than a swine, you are a ….a….a…an imbecile!" She shoved him away from her person and stalked off still muttering in Italian under her breath.

"What was that all about?" he murmured in a daze.

"I think she saw us leaving yer chambers and was thinking things were happening that tweren't happening." Annie told him from where she still stood behind him silently watching.

Galahad paled. "Oh good grief." Sighing he made his way down the hallway and headed towards the loud clattering coming from the kitchens. He met up with Vanora, Gawain, and Lancelot standing outside of the doorway. "I take it Arabella is inside?"

"Would you be the one who upset that girl?" Vanora frowned at him.

"She was muttering some of the most attractive phrases." Lancelot murmured. "In her tongue and our own."

Gawain laughed. "Whatever did you do?"

Galahad gave his friends a brief explanation on what Annie thought it was. Vanora shook her head at him in disgust and walked away. "What? I've never touched the wench! Ever!"

Gawain chuckled. "You're being an idiot Galahad. The woman is mad for you and you sit back and wait for someone else to snap her up from under you." The blonde man sauntered away before his friend could reply.

Lancelot stood silently watching the emotions flit across the younger man's face. "If I were you I'd go in there and let her know nothing happened between you and the serving wench."

Galahad took a breath and headed into the kitchen. It was wrecked. Bella saw him and her eyes narrowed even further. "Bella…"

She flung the mug she'd been holding at him and he managed to duck just in time. It hit the wall behind him with a crash of breaking pottery. Bella picked up a wooden spoon and threw that next. Now it was Galahad's turn to narrow his eyes and he made his way towards her managing to avoid everything she tossed at him. Once he got to her he grabbed her by both arms and shook her. "Bella!" he roared.

Bella looked up into his angry blue eyes. She stopped moving almost instantly. "Let me go!"

"I don't think so." He snapped. "Nothing happened with Annie!"

"I don't know who Annie is and I don't care!" she cried.

"Annie happens to be the blonde girl who cleans my rooms. The girl you saw coming out of my room. The girl who is head over heels for Lancelot. And I would say it's quite obvious by your temper tantrum that you do care!"

"I think you're an idiot!" Bella was so angry tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. Anger and frustration warred inside.

Her chest heaved with her heavy breaths, and her face and neck were lightly pink and flushed. Galahad pulled her tightly against him and pressed his lips to hers. At first she stayed rigid against him, but it wasn't long until her arms wound around his neck. His hands relaxed from their grip and wrapped around her waist pulling her even closer. Her mouth moved against his and they spent long moments tasting each other and exploring each other's mouths. Galahad's mouth moved down the column of her neck eliciting a gasp from her as she leaned her head back to give him better access. Bella's fingers played in the curls at his neck and one hand buried itself in his hair completely.

He lost himself in her and they staggered. Her back bumped into the table and Galahad lifted her to where she was sitting on the sturdy furniture. Hindered by her skirts Bella was finally able to wrap her ankles around his legs and pulled him closer. She was almost lying on the table with him on top of her. Bella's hands itched to remove the linen shirt he was wearing. His whiskers scraped against her soft flesh and Bella relished the feeling. This was what her mother had told her about when teaching her about making love and passion.

Galahad came back to himself first. Good gods, he'd been about to take her on the kitchen table! He straightened quickly making sure to pull her up more gently. "My apologies."

"Oh Good Lord!" she muttered. "What are you apologizing for? I enjoyed every minute! I would have kept enjoying every minute if you hadn't stopped."

"It is unseemly to take a lady in the kitchen Bella." He murmured slowly rubbing his hand along her cheek. She leaned into the caress almost like a cat when it's being petted. "I didn't mean to imply I regretted, nor enjoyed it. I enjoyed it very much."

"Oh. Well. Okay then."

"Come, let me help you clean up this mess, and then perhaps we can spend some time together today. That is unless you've made other plans." He told her from beneath a hooded gaze.

"No. I don't have any other plans." She murmured.

"Good."


	5. Chapter 5

With the two of them cleaning it didn't take long to restore the kitchen to clean. They ate breakfast and then Galahad took her for a ride. Bella didn't feel comfortable riding by herself so she rode in front of him with his arms around her waist. She leaned back into his chest and for the first time in a long time she felt at peace.

Galahad held her close to him and kept the horse at a slow walk. He couldn't believe he was holding Bella. He hadn't thought he'd have that chance. To be honest, he hadn't felt he had the right. Everything he could see about her told him she was good. Bella was a lady; a true lady. Galahad had been a warrior for fifteen years. Those years of battle, years of bloodshed, stained him. His body, though still young, bore scars and marks of those battles. If they ever got to the point where Bella saw his body would those scars scare her away? Would they repulse her?

The horse came into a small clearing of the woods and stopped at Galahad's gentle command. Thick trees surrounded most of the area in a circular pattern, and a small stream ran through. Galahad dismounted and then helped Arabella down. She pulled a blanket out of the saddle bags and spread it out on the soft grass. Bella and Galahad made themselves comfortable and just enjoyed the peace.

"I cannot remember the last time I experienced such quiet." He murmured. "We have been fighting for so long." Bella was sitting with her legs outstretched and she motioned him to lay with his head in her lap. He sighed as she ran her fingers through his curls. "I always thought I'd either die, or if I did manage to live I would head back to Sarmatia as soon as possible."

"But now you stay. Your forced servitude is behind you. It would be possible for you to go and find your family. You could go home." Bella spoke softly as he relaxed.

His green eyes opened and he looked into dark eyes. "No. I realized very quickly I couldn't go back. Not when my brothers are here. They're my family. I couldn't go even if they weren't here. You're here."

Bella smiled sweetly at him. "I spent so much time working when I was back home. Everything else was put on hold as I tried for bigger and better stories. All I thought about was finding THE story. Do you know I can't even remember the last time I got together with my parents without thinking I'd have rather been home working on an article?"

"Do you miss them desperately?"

"I do. I miss them terribly. Perhaps it's harder because I know I shall never see them again. And my cat, I miss my cat Oliver. He was a big orange tom-cat. He let me cuddle him every night." Bella blinked back tears and saw Galahad frowning sadly. "But then I look at where I am, and it's magical. I have Pooh Bear and all of you… Most of all Galahad there's you, and what you make me feel. I never thought I'd meet anyone who makes me feel the way you do." Galahad sat up and moved a hand to her smooth cheek. "Your kisses make me feel things I've never felt."

Galahad leaned in and began to kiss the edge of her mouth. Bella closed her eyes and reveled in the feel. He moved his lips over hers placing light kisses along the outline of her lips until finally his mouth closed on hers. This time he was gentle and sweet compared to the two other times they'd kissed. This time instead of ravaging he soothed. Bella didn't think she'd ever felt anything more heavenly. She ran her hands along his neck and hairline loving the way he felt to her.

The two slid to the blanket and lay on their sides with their lips never parting. Galahad finally pulled away and looked at her. Bella's head lay cushioned on his arm and she smiled at him. "I do so enjoy that." She told him.

"Oh Bella." He murmured. "You're stealing my heart."

The two stayed that way for awhile before it came time to head back to the others. Bella was helping Vanora in the tavern that evening, and Galahad had to attend a meeting with the other knights.

&&

The tavern was bustling with activity that night. Even without Arthur and his knights it was extremely busy. Men and women crowded in, and populated all but one lone table. That one table seemed to be permanently set aside for the knights. Several hours into the night the men filed in and took seats. Bella moved quickly to bring them drinks and food. She was getting tired by the time Vanora sent her to the table with her own plate and mug. She sat in the chair next to Galahad wearily.

"How did your meetings go?" she murmured.

"Good. Tiring. I'm not much for politics I'm thinking." He shared a wry smile.

"Politicians aren't normally as honest as you are."

"We're going to begin to build." He told her, and this time there was excitement in his voice. "A kingdom. We're going to build a kingdom for Briton."

"That's wonderful!"

"A new dawn is approaching our lands my friends." Arthur stood and held up his tankard. "A dawn that will be a beginning for all of us. We will call our kingdom…"

At the same he spoke Bella whispered. "Camelot."


End file.
